Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Al-'amarah Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Al-'amarah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $674 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,091 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,508 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

Medellin costs about 49% more than Al-'amarah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Al-'amarah are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Al-'amarah 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$3.98 IQD 5,211

48.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$24.68 IQD 32.3K

33.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$7.02 IQD 9,188

5.84%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.58 IQD 3,374

-36.05%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.40 IQD 519

175.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.21 IQD 274

271.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.99 IQD 3,917

-42.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.82 IQD 3,693

12.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.81 IQD 2,374

-39.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.79 IQD 1,029

59.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.08 IQD 1,408

27.78%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.51 IQD 1,977

44.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$4.58 IQD 5,995

-1.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$4.64 IQD 6,071

24.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$12.96 IQD 17.0K

-30.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$0.87 IQD 1,136

166.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.10 IQD 1,442

-3.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$0.91 IQD 1,189

67.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.36 IQD 477

277.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.75 IQD 987

50.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.34 IQD 451

244.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.68 IQD 893

32.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.43 IQD 564

109.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$1.97 IQD 2,575

13.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.86 IQD 2,432

-36.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.14 IQD 2,803

15.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.40 IQD 521

112.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$30.59 IQD 40.1K

36.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.61 IQD 2,105

-11.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.53 IQD 2,007

27.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$5.83 IQD 7,633

35.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.31 IQD 399

219.35%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$18.8K IQD 24.6M

-6.17%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

33.55%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$76.2 IQD 99.7K

8.99%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$17.79 IQD 23.3K

-45.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$34.10 IQD 44.6K

-31.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$22.64 IQD 29.6K

11.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$16.61 IQD 21.7K

14.99%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$7.46 IQD 9,772

-47.05%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$316 COP 994.2K

$152 IQD 198.4K

108.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$3,223 IQD 4.2M

85.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$27.00 IQD 35.4K

122.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$25.67 IQD 33.6K

23.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$60.1 IQD 78.7K

69.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$41.26 IQD 54.0K

160.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$322 IQD 421.1K

47.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$134 IQD 175.5K

178.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$447 IQD 585.4K

89.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$347 IQD 454.1K

107.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$564 IQD 738.9K

478.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$506 IQD 662.0K

23.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.67

136.86%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Al-'amarah: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $322 in Al-'amarah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 24% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $25.00 in Al-'amarah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $153 – making Al-'amarah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Al-'amarah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 49%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,010 in Al-'amarah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Al-'amarah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 26% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $25.00 in Al-'amarah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al-'amarah, where all-in costs run around $674, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Al-'amarah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al-'amarah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Al-'amarah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.